The Salvation Army Amsterdam Staff Band’s Performance in Hartford, CT Spreads Joy to UCONN Staff and Students

CONNECTICUT – The Salvation Army’s Amsterdam Staff Band performed at the UCONN Hartford Atrium in Hartford, CT on April 20th. Students and staff enjoyed the diverse music selections which radiated throughout the building. Jomaira Rincon, Admissions Officer with UCONN was pleasantly surprised by the band’s visit. “I think it’s really great that our students at UCONN can see this type of activity on campus,” Rincon said.

Dalvis Liz, a student at UCONN, was expecting The Salvation Army’s Amsterdam Staff Band performance. “I have a project to do for my music appreciation class,” said Liz. He noticed some hymns were included in the music selection, his favorite being “Take Me Back,” which was written by one of the bandsmen.

The Salvation Army’s Amsterdam Staff Band, was on a tour, which included Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and Connecticut. Bandmaster Olaf Ritman said, “We are really enjoying our time here. Everyone is really nice and they are treating us well.”

Bandmaster Olaf Ritman & Salvation Army of Connecticut & Rhode Island's Divisional Commander Major Jorge Marzán

The Amsterdam Staff Band (ASB) of The Salvation Army in the Netherlands was founded in 1962. The band consists of top musicians from all over the country, all of them active in a local Salvation Army Church. All members, in their personal faith in God, fulfill their musicality.

The repertoire of the ASB thus contains a message based on the gospel of Jesus Christ and His love for this world. Every Tuesday there is a rehearsal and weekly, ASB travels through the country to host concerts at various locations of The Salvation Army.

The band regularly arranges tours abroad, which have included Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, England, Scotland, Ireland, Northern Ireland, the Czech Republic, Belgium, Canada and the United States. The ASB is currently led by conductor Olaf Ritman and works hard to maximize the standard of communicating the Gospel of Jesus Christ through music.

Learn More about The Salvation Army Amsterdam Staff Band.